Biography
Aaron Parks is an innovative jazz pianist born on October 7, 1983, in Seattle, Washington, who emerged as one of the most influential jazz musicians of his generation.[1][5] Growing up on Whidbey Island near Seattle in a musically supportive household, Parks began playing piano at a young age without parental pressure, discovering his passion for music through natural exploration. By age 10, he had become serious about music, studying piano and briefly bassoon, with his teachers recognizing his talent for improvisation and steering him toward jazz from the start.[3] His early influences included Gene Harris, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, and most significantly Keith Jarrett, whose unconventional approach to the piano profoundly shaped Parks' artistic vision.[3] At 14, Parks enrolled in the Early Entrance Program at the University of Washington, where he formed his first trio with bassist Evan Flory-Barnes and drummer Eric Peters, eventually securing a weekly residency at Tully's Coffee Shop in downtown Seattle and releasing two independent albums.[3]
Parks' professional breakthrough came when he transferred to Manhattan School of Music at age 16, where he studied intensively with renowned pianist Kenny Barron in a mentorship based on musical dialogue rather than formal instruction.[1][3] At 18, he joined trumpeter Terence Blanchard's ensemble, recording four critically acclaimed albums including the Grammy-winning 2007 opus "A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina)."[1] Parks' major-label debut as a leader, "Invisible Cinema" on Blue Note Records in 2008, established him as a fully-fledged bandleader at just 25 years old, featuring a quartet with guitarist Mike Moreno, bassist Matt Penman, and drummer Eric Harland.[1][3] His music seamlessly blends modern jazz, indie rock, and Eastern modalities, characterized by lyrical beauty, rhythmic complexity, and harmonic sophistication.[4]
Beyond his work with Blanchard, Parks has collaborated extensively with a diverse array of artists including Christian Scott, Kendrick Scott, Ambrose Akinmusire, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Joshua Redman, and vocalist Gretchen Parlato.[1][2] He was an integral member of the James Farm Quartet with Joshua Redman, Matt Penman, and Eric Harland, whose self-titled album was released on Nonesuch in 2011.[1] Parks subsequently signed to ECM Records and released the solo piano album "Arborescence" in 2013.[1] His most significant recent project has been his trio with historic drummer Billy Hart and bassist Ben Street, with whom he has recorded multiple albums and continues to perform actively.[2][3] Parks' career trajectory from precocious young musician to respected bandleader and composer reflects his commitment to artistic growth and collaborative exploration.
Fun Facts
- Parks' entire family moved across the country from Washington to New York when he was 16 to support his transfer to Manhattan School of Music, demonstrating extraordinary family commitment to his musical development.[3]
- At age 14, Parks made an audition tape for a Seattle-area youth big band with only one song—'In the Mood'—and was accepted, launching his early performance career.[3]
- Parks deliberately brought no pre-arranged compositions to his trio sessions with Billy Hart and Ben Street, instead working songs out in rehearsal and performance to allow his collaborators' ideas to reshape his original concepts.[3]
- Parks was named the 2001 Cole Porter Fellow of the American Pianists Association while still a student at Manhattan School of Music, recognizing his exceptional talent at a young age.[1]
Associated Acts
- James Farm - original
- The E‐Collective - piano
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Kenny Barron - Primary piano instructor at Manhattan School of Music; taught Parks through musical dialogue and two-piano sessions rather than formal lectures (Private lessons and mentorship) [Age 16 onwards (approximately 1999+)]
- Keith Jarrett - Major stylistic influence; Parks attended a Keith Jarrett concert on his teacher's recommendation that profoundly shaped his artistic vision (Concert attendance and listening) [Early teens]
- Gene Harris - Early musical obsession and influence on Parks' jazz piano style (Listening and study) [Early teens]
- McCoy Tyner - Early stylistic influence on Parks' approach to jazz piano (Listening and study) [Early teens]
- Herbie Hancock - Early stylistic influence on Parks' jazz piano development (Listening and study) [Early teens]
Key Collaborators
- Terence Blanchard - Parks joined Blanchard's ensemble at age 18 and became a key sideman and composer; Blanchard became enamored of both Parks' playing and composing abilities (Bounce (2003), Flow (2005), Inside Man soundtrack (2006), A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina) (2007)) [2001-2007]
- Joshua Redman - Co-founder of James Farm Quartet with Parks (James Farm Quartet self-titled album (2011, Nonesuch)) [2011]
- Matt Penman - Bassist in Parks' Invisible Cinema quartet and James Farm Quartet (Invisible Cinema (2008), James Farm Quartet (2011)) [2008-2011]
- Eric Harland - Drummer in Parks' Invisible Cinema quartet and James Farm Quartet (Invisible Cinema (2008), James Farm Quartet (2011)) [2008-2011]
- Billy Hart - Historic drummer in Parks' current trio; Parks was influenced by Hart's quartet with Ben Street, Ethan Iverson, and Mark Turner (Aaron Parks Trio recordings) [2015-present]
- Ben Street - Bassist in Parks' current trio; Parks admired Street's work with Billy Hart before forming his own trio (Aaron Parks Trio recordings) [2015-present]
- Christian Scott - Frequent collaborator and fellow innovative jazz musician (Various collaborative projects) [2000s-present]
- Kendrick Scott - Drummer collaborator and fellow innovative jazz musician (Various collaborative projects) [2000s-present]
- Ambrose Akinmusire - Trumpet collaborator in various projects (Various collaborative recordings) [2000s-present]
- Kurt Rosenwinkel - Guitarist collaborator in various projects (Various collaborative recordings) [2000s-present]
- Gretchen Parlato - Vocalist collaborator (Various collaborative projects) [2000s-present]
- Mike Moreno - Guitarist in Parks' Invisible Cinema quartet (Invisible Cinema (2008)) [2008]
Connection Network
Discography
Albums
| Title | Release Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Little Big | 2018-10-19 | Album |
| Invisible Cinema | 2008-01-01 | Album |
| Little Big III | 2024-10-18 | Album |
| Little Big II: Dreams of a Mechanical Man | 2020-05-08 | Album |
| Hopium | 2025-02-07 | Album |
| Kintsugi | 2025-05-30 | Album |
| Arborescence | 2013-10-04 | Album |
| Find The Way | 2017-04-21 | Album |
| UNIFONY II | 2020-08-14 | Album |
| Volume Two | 2022-06-06 | Album |
| Volume One | 2022-04-04 | Album |
Top Tracks
- Lilac (Little Big)
- Doors Open (Little Big)
- Where Do You Go? (Where Do You Go?)
- Ashé (Little Big III)
- Small Planet (Little Big)
- Here (Little Big II: Dreams of a Mechanical Man)
- Roadside Distraction (Invisible Cinema)
- Praise (Invisible Cinema)
- Afterglow (Invisible Cinema)
- Flyways (Little Big III)
External Links
Tags: #contemporary-jazz, #jazz, #jazz-fusion
Heard on WWOZ
Aaron Parks has been played 2 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 28, 2025 | 06:41 | Dense Phantasyfrom By All Means | The Morning Setw/ Dave Dauterive | |
| Nov 14, 2025 | 07:47 | Dense Phantasyfrom By All Means | The Morning Setw/ Dave Dauterive |